Compact folding chair

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a highly compact folding chair that can approximately be reduced to the size and form of an attache case. In essence, the seat resembles a card table whose legs can be folded into its underside and a hinged backrest is provided that also is used to cover or enclose the legs, thereby forming a boxlike structure in the hollow of which the legs are contained. The hinge itself includes a handle for easy carrying.

O United States Patent 1151 3,674,306

Botney July 4, 1972 541 COMPACT FOLDING CHAIR 1,161,420 11/1915 [72] Inventor: Richard H. Botney, 13343 Debby St., Van l673'988 6/1928 2,398,478 4/1946 [22] Filed: Oct. 8, 1970 Primary ExaminerFrancis K. Zugel PP Nod 79,137 Attorney-Men E. Botney 52 US. c1 ..297/17, 297/183 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl This invention provides a highly compact folding chair that [58] Field of Search.... can approximately be reduced to the size and form of an attache case. In essence, the seat resembles a card table whose 5 R f e Cited legs can be folded into its underside and a hinged backrest is provided that also is used to cover or enclose the legs, thereby UNITED STATES PATENTS forming a box-like structure in the hollow of which the legs are l f 3,544,157 12/1970 Muller ..297/17 contamed The hmge nselfmcludes a hand 6 easy Carrymg 3,024,065 3/1962 Eves et al ..297/183 X 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures COMPACT FOLDING CHAIR The present invention relates to chairsin general and more particularly relates to a new construction for a folding chair.

There are many different kinds of folding chairs in the prior art serving many useful purposes. However, when they are folded and stored away, they are stacked one in front of the other or one on top of the other. In either case, they are awk ward to handle when they are so stacked and, furthermore, they take up a lot of room. By way of example, if a substantial number of folding chairs are placed one above the other, this usually requires forming a number of stacks, with each being only a few feet high because the chairs would become unstable if they were to be stacked any higher off the floor. Thus, the space above the topmost chair in the stack is unused and, therefore, wasted and additional fioor space is required. An additional disadvantage of these prior art chairs is the fact that they are difficult or cumbersome to carry for any distance, especially if more than one of them is to be carried at one time.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a folding chair that can be reduced to a highly compact form for storage.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a folding chair which, when folded, can be conveniently carried from place to place.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a folding chair that can be folded into a flat-surfaced six-sided box-like structure.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which an embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. his to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the inventron.

FIG. 1 is a perspective ,view of a folding chair according to the present invention and shows the chair in its completely folded condition;

FIG. 2 illustrates the same chair after it has been partially unfolded, and illustrates the securing of the back rest to the sides of the chair;

FIG. 3 illustrates the chair after it has been fully unfolded; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing the legs of the ehair folded into the hollow underside of the chair.

For a consideration of the invention in detail, reference is now made to the drawing wherein, in FIG. 1, an embodiment of a compact collapsible chair according to the present invention is shown to basically include a seat 10, a back rest 11 and a hinge 12 by means of which the back rest is rotatably mounted or coupled to the seat. Seat is hollow and open on its underside, the four legs of the chair being foldable into the hollow of the seat, as shown in FIG. 4. The abovesaid legs are designated Ba-13d and it should be mentioned with respect to them that they may be mounted ina foldable manner to the bottomside of the seat in the same way as the legs of a folding table. As a matter of fact, it can be said that except for the dimensions, the construction of the seat and legs herein is substantially the same as any of the innumerable constructions used for folding tables. The operation is substantially the same too. Accordingly, since the construction of folding tables is so well and widely known, no further explanation of the construction of the instant seat-leg construction is deemed necessary.

The embodiment preferably also includes means for fastening and holding back rest 11 once it is in its upright position. Such means may take the form, for example, of a pair of bars 14a and 14b rotatably mounted to opposing sides of seat 10 by means of, for example, rivets or bolts 15a and 15b, respectively. As previously indicated, bars 14a and 14b are mounted to rotate and can, in the illustrated embodiment, be rotated through a complete circle. When not in use, bars 14a and 1412 are respectively held in position along and close to, the sides of the chair by means of rivets or bolts 16a and 1617, the bars being adapted to engage said rivets or bolts for said purpose. On the other hand, when they are in use, bars 14d and 14b respectively engage another pair of rivets or bolts 17a and 17b mounted on back rest 11, the same slots or other means by which the bars are adapted to engage rivets or bolts 16a and 16b also being used to engage rivets or bolts 17a and 17b.

Finally, the embodimentpreferably includes a handle 12a formed from the bar used in the hinge construction, and the means, such as the snap arrangement 19, for snapping and holding the backrest 11 in place when it is not in use. The handle 12a is used to carry the chair when it is closed and in its compact form, which can thereby be carried like a briefcase. To aid in this respect, a small portion at the base of seat 1 1 is cut out so that the fingers wrapped around handle 12a can be accommodated. The portion omitted is designated 18. Means 19 may comprise a plastic strip 19a, a male snap 19b and a female snap 19c. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that devices other than the snap arrangement 19 may be used for the purposes mentioned.

In its operation, the chair in its closed condition will appear substantially as illustrated in FIG. 1. More particularly, the legs are in the hollow of the seat and are covered over and, therefore, enclosed and protected by backrest 11. The chair in its closed condition is in highly compact form and can easily becarried around by means of handle 12a. It will also be obvious that chairs according to the present invention can easily be stacked in a minimum of space when they are in this compact form. To use, snap arrangement 19 is uncoupled and backrest 11 swung back in the direction of arrow 20 to an upright position, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Once the backrest is in an upright position, it is secured and held in that position by respectively engaging bars 14a and 14b with rivets or bolts 17a and 17b. It should be mentioned at this point that in its upright position, backrest ll abuts against the side of seat 10 and, therefore, finds additional support in this way. Following this, the legs Ilia-13d are withdrawn and snapped into their upright position. At this point the chair is rigid and all its parts held firmly in place and, therefore, can be used like any other chair.

To close the chair and return it to its highly compact form, the reverse procedure is obviously followed.

Although a particular arrangement of the invention has been illustrated and explained above by way of example, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto. Accordingly, the invention should be considered to include any and all modifications, alterations or equivalent arrangements falling within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A compact folding chair comprising: seating means including a seat having four sides extending downwardly therefrom to form an open-faced box-like structure; legs for supporting said seating means, said legs being adapted to fold into the open-faced side of said structure; a member adapted to form a back rest for the seat when it is in one position and a cover for the open face of said structure when it is in another position, the rear of said member extending beyond the rear of said seat when it is in the position of a cover for said openfaced structure, the rear center portion of said member being cut out to permit a handle to be connected thereacross between a pair of hinges, the rear portions of said member on either side of said missing center portion being recessed to accommodate said hinges; a pair of two-flap hinges mounted, respectively, on either side of the missing center portion of said member, one flap of said hinges respectively being secured in said recesses and the other flap of said hinges being secured to the underside of said seat, said member being rotatable in a 270 arc about said hinges from its position as a cover to its position as a back rest and vice versa, said member, when in said back rest position, abutting against the back side of said seat and the hinge flaps secured in said recesses to obtain extra support in its upright position as a back rest; and a handle mounted across the missing center portion of said member between said hinges, said handle passing beneath said member when it is rotated in said 270 5 are. 

1. A compact folding chair comprising: seating means including a seat having four sides extending downwardly therefrom to form an open-faced box-like structure; legs for supporting said seating means, said legs being adapted to fold into the open-faced side of said structure; a member adapted to form a back rest for the seat when it is in one position and a cover for the open face of said structure when it is in another position, the rear of said member extending beyond the rear of said seat when it is in the position of a cover for said open-faced structure, the rear center portion of said member being cut out to permit a handle to be connected thereacross between a pair of hinges, the rear portions of said member on either side of said missing center portion being recessed to accommodate said hinges; a pair of twoflap hinges mounted, respectively, on either side of the missing center portion of said member, one flap of said hinges respectively being secured in said recesses and the other flap of said hinges being secured to the underside of said seat, said member being rotatable in a 270* arc about said hinges from its position as a cover to its position as a back rest and vice versa, said member, when in said back rest position, abutting against the back side of said seat and the hinge flaps secured in said recesses to obtain extra support in its upright position as a back rest; and a handle mounted across the missing center portion of said member between said hinges, said handle passing beneath said member when it is rotated in said 270* arc. 